Keep looking if you like. See others posts about what they found helped, or see a holistic healthy "tester" who can actually verify what is needed for relief by finding the cause, instead of just treating the symptom. People all over the world get sick every day from eating junk food, whether long term or even just once. Thus, if they were healthy, the 'change' is not a welcome one, is it ? The good news is that change is possible sometimes if not always, like the post below shows some helpful. ========================================= QUOTE="Yvonne Smith, post: 584537, member: 3"]I totally agree with you about a nutrient rich Whole Foods diet, and since that is what my cardiologist also recommends as a heart-healthy diet, that is what i try to adhere to, as my basic food plan. I have as much food as possible that is fresh, and raw when doable, and have very little meat or animal foods. I more add a little as a flavoring than as a main part of the meal. As long as I am doing this, I usually do not have a lot of trouble with arthritis, and my system stays alkaline and not acidic. When I do go off course, then I can feel the repercussions from any kind of processed foods, especially ones with sugar added. My go-to anti-inflammatory (when needed) is fresh raw pineapple, because it has a natural pain killer and also anti-inflammatory. Most of the good stuff is actually in the pineapple core, so I quarter the pineapple, slice out the core, and then put that in the food processor until it is well processed and easy to eat. Then I add the rest of the pineapple and process that until it is like the texture of crushed pineapple like you would buy in cans. I add this to my muesli, or into yogurt or even cottage cheese.[/QUOTE
Antacid tablets are completely different from a partial teaspoon of NaHCO3. The first will stay in the digestive tract for the most part, while the soda will be absorbed. Without knowing what health problems you are speaking to, I don't know what to say otherwise. PPIs and antacids are a bit like the days when milk was prescribed to ulcer patients. It temporarily eased the symptoms but made them worse in the long term.
I started taking apple cider vinegar last Friday, and it has been 90% to 100% effective in preventing my acid reflux (with the 90% being me testing the stuff that really bothers me.) I am in shock. I bought a high-quality organic, unfiltered, non-pasteurized vinegar, which seems to be milder tasting (less sharp) than the cheap stuff. I take roughly 2 tsp + 4 TB warm water + a drop of honey about 20 minutes before eating. I took it once immediately after eating and it was just as effective. Only once did I have to take a second dose...before eating and again after. I've been reading about this and about baking soda, and wondered a couple of things: -If taking this acidic substance helps my digestion, then is there a benefit to taking baking soda as well? -I read one article that recommended adding baking soda to diluted vinegar and taking them at the same time. Wouldn't they neutralize each other?
There are some--perhaps many--who believe that acid reflux is caused not by too much acid but by too little. Vinegar would be one way to test that theory. Another would be to take a supplement containing betaine hydrochloride. If either of those make you feel better, then take a PPI could make the situation worse in the long run, as I mentioned with milk and ulcers. I would be interested to know if anyone here who is taking PPI to reduce acid has an O blood type. If you have ever read the book, Eat According to Your Blood Type, the author claims that those who have O type blood have the strongest digestive systems and I would find it interesting if anyone here could support that theory or blow it out of the water, so to speak.
I've been put on a PPI before (and gone off of it), and I have Type O blood. I cannot recall 100% for certain, but I believe I'm O-Positive. I had my doctor test it once and I do not believe that I'm a universal donor. And the PPIs immediately helped. Anecdotally, my gastric issues did not start until a few years ago (I was 64.) They lingered for months because I had lost my insurance and could not replace it until a new [Obamacare] enrollment period came around. Those gastric issues immediately went away when I took a barium drink for a CT scan followed up just a couple of days later by the cleansing for a colonoscopy. The day after the colonoscopy I woke up and could tell that things were 100% back to normal...the gastroenterologist says "unrelated." The CT scan and colonoscopy and endoscopy found nothing wrong...this was 3-4 years ago. I've wondered if my relatively recent digestive problems are caused by my eating schedule (last night's dinner was a bbq sandwich with hot sauce, fries and cole slaw...at 11:30PM), but this is a habit I've had for 20+ years, sometimes not eating until 1AM-2AM, sleeping for a few hours, then being at work at 6:30AM...and it never caused me gastric issues. Except for recently, I've always been able to eat whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted. I went through a brief period a couple of years ago where I was really fat-intolerant, but that passed. I don't know why seemingly low acid levels should hit me now, but remedies like Gaviscon have done nothing to ease the discomfort, while vinegar has seemed like magic. Perhaps my current issues are due to age, or due to the 15#-20# I picked up a few years ago and have not dropped.
Your blood type lends support to my theory. The Rh factor doesn't play into the concept. According to the originator of this idea, people with O blood types should eat primarily meat, and avoid diary and limit grains. Vegetables should be consumed only in moderation. I could be your digestive system became less adaptive as you aged...don't know. My wife's symptoms returned somewhat after she got Covid, so she has gone back on Omeprazole for a week to see if things improve. If they do, she will return to an elimination diet to see if she can find the foods that trigger her problems. The fact that vinegar helps your issues may tell you that you have too little acid, not too much, or that you are eating food that you cannot digest.
Just to follow up on the cider vinegar thing... It's been nearly 2 months now and this is a minor miracle. Cider vinegar works almost all the time (meaning it fails to some degree maybe once every 2 weeks), and when it does not work, the OTC stuff (Gas-X or Gaviscon) a few hours after the vinegar makes things better, whereas before they were marginally effective at best. This could be coincidence or observer bias, since I've only had to take them a few times over the past 8 weeks. Here's what I've been taking... From the internet: -2 tsp to 1 TB organic unfiltered unpasteurized cider vinegar (with "The Mother"), mixed with -4 TB warm/hot water (to stop the vinegar from eroding tooth enamel and from irritating the esophagus) I add the following to enhance it: -A small drop of honey -A shake of Ceylon cinnamon (Simply Organics brand) There are 2 methods recommended: 1-Take it 20 minutes before eating, or 2-Take it after heartburn flares up, repeating every 15-20 minutes until things get better. --I've read general advice saying up to 4 TB of vinegar in a single day is OK. Taking it before eating works best for me. When I've forgotten to take it before eating, I've found that taking it afterwards does take the edge off, but the best results are when I've taken it before eating. I sometimes get minor heartburn after breakfast or lunch, but I only take this with dinner so I can sleep. Just as another data point, I never get heartburn immediately after eating...it always takes a few hours to hit. I've read that vinegar does not work for everyone, and that in some people it might make things worse (not permanently, just until that dose has been digested.)
Even if I had issues I would NOT take Nexium... But for many years I take Super Enzymes from Now Foods...directions say "take one cap with a meal"....I forget often but just took one with my chili break/lunch.....